Preventing Kidney Infections

Kidney infections often result from a UTI, like a bladder infection, that has not been treated correctly. Their symptoms can be severe, especially in elderly patients. Fortunately, antibiotics can successfully treat these infections.

Kidney Infection (Pyelonephritis) Information

The same bacteria that cause bladder infections often cause pyelonephritis, but your kidneys can also become infected by bacteria in the bloodstream that travel from an infection in another part of your body.

©2006 Publications International, Ltd. Treating a UTI early is the best way to avoid a kidney infection.

Essentially, pyelonephritis is a UTI, such as cystitis, gone bad. The bacteria that cause the UTI may have been left untreated or were inadequately treated with antibiotics. Those bacteria then make their way up through the ureters (the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder) to the kidneys. If you have pyelonephritis, you will have all the symptoms of a bladder infection, but you may also have more intense back and/or abdominal pain, a fever that goes higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit and lasts for more than a couple of days, chills, vomiting, reddened and moist skin, and fatigue. Elderly people with kidney infections often are mentally confused. Pyelonephritis can be successfully treated with antibiotics.

Who's at Risk for Kidney Infections?

Elderly people and people with weakened immune systems are especially susceptible to pyelonephritis, as are those who have recurrent UTIs or a history of urinary tract obstructions, such as kidney stones. Most people who get UTIs will not end up with pyelonephritis if they seek prompt treatment.

Defensive Measures Against Kidney Infections

Getting treatment for a UTI as soon as you notice a problem is the best way to avoid pyelonephritis.

While both bladder infections and kidney infections are caused by bacteria, yeast infections, another common UTI, are caused by a yeast imbalance in the body. Read the next page to learn the symptoms of yeast infections and the steps you can take to avoid them.

Terrific Toilet Paper In 1988, the medical journal Reviews in Infectious Diseases published an article written by Dr. Walter Hughes entitled "A Tribute to Toilet Paper." It is still one of the few medical publications about the subject that deals with anything besides contact dermatitis from the scented variety. And that's a shame because that thin double sheet of paper acts in concert with hand washing to protect you from millions of potentially harmful bacteria, viruses, and protozoa. Interesting facts from Dr. Hughes's article: Historians think the Chinese were the first to use toilet paper. Seth Wheeler patented the toilet paper roll in 1871. Early toilet paper in the United States was made from the same paper stock as newspapers. Because of shortages during World War II, civilian hoarding of the product was common. The name "toilet paper" was thought to be risque, and it took until 1975 for the American Broadcasting Company to use that term instead of the more sedate "bathroom tissue."

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.